That was about as bad as Iowa State could play in the first half. 9-31 from the floor, 3-16 from deep, and still they are ahead 31-30 at halftime and on an 8-0 run. And they don't have their best player, Joshua Jefferson. How in the world did we get there?
Kentucky basketball's self inflicted wounds continue
The Cats were up by 12 early, and Iowa State was 3-13 from the floor. But the Cats just kept finding ways to allow the cyclones for staying in it. Just a bunch of nonsensical passes, lazy effort, and they find themselves with 12 turnovers in 20 minutes of basketball.
You can never have that at this level; it just can not happen. And they are the worst kind. So many passes at feet, near the end of the first half, Brandon Garrison is just standing at the top of the circle with the ball out, and Iowa State simply knocked it away.
Compounding the turnovers, Kentucky fouled a lot
While Iowa State was opening a masonry business, Kentucky was hacking them and letting them get easy ones from the line. In the first half, Kentucky sent Iowa State to the line an astounding 15 times. They converted 10 of those into points when they could not otherwise score.
Clark Kellogg warns off a coming blowout
At halftime Clark Kellogg warned Kentucky, "I can see Iowa State opening this up by double digits." And he is 1000 percent right. Iowa State played as poorly as they possible could, and yet they are still up 1.
Kentucky has no one to blame but themselves
Yes, Iowa State is elite defensively. We knew that, and to see a Kentucky team that unprepared for a trap baffles me. I know this team had to know it was coming, and still, every time the Cyclones would double all over the floor, Kentucky had no answers. They could not find the open guy; they could not find any outlet.
And the pressure is making this team crack. But so many of these things can be fixed with just the right mentality. Unfortunately, this Kentucky team's focus has been an issue all season long.
They have 20 minutes to prove they are better than that. If not, the season will end, and questions will be asked. And rightfully so, to see a team this unprepared for what Iowa State was going to do is not a good sign for a coaching staff already under scrutiny.